Nettwerk, Island Taking Songwriters To Bali

May 17, 2010 - Global | Publishing

By Lars Brandle, Brisbane

Sun, surf and the sands of idyllic Bali will be the special ingredients for a master songwriting workshop, dreamt up by executives for Nettwerk Music Group and Island Records Australia.

Pop star Delta Goodrem will join her partner the former Westlife singer Brian McFadden, producer Paul Mac, songwriter Arnthor Birgisson and more than a dozen others later this month for the inaugural writer retreat in Ubud, on the Indonesian island.

"We were looking for a unique combination of songwriters getting together in a unique atmosphere and giving us great songs," explains head of Island Records Australia Michael Taylor, who conceived the project with Peter Coquillard, head of Nettwerk One Music Publishing, the publishing arm of Nettwerk Music Group.

The May 30-June 10 hideaway is set up with all the tools for music-making, whenever and wherever it may happen. The facility has four different demo rooms and there will be demoing equipment under the palm trees.

Away from the mic, snorkeling trips and elephant rides will help the participants find that peaceful, creative mindset. "Hopefully that daily hangout time will create some good stuff," Taylor explains.

Plans are to rekindle the project on an annual basis, and to welcome the presence of artists outside the Nettwerk and Universal Music Group family.

"We hope to achieve several different things; coming up with great songs that will be used for the artists' albums, and perhaps creating songs that may be used for outside cuts," Taylor explains. "And after a week of being social, it might very well lead to possible collaborations in the future.